Since he became the city's leader, Mayor Kevin Johnson's State of the City addresses have focused on important city issues and goals, but none have seemed more central and elusive during his tenure than a new entertainment and sports complex.

"I strongly believe that one thing that we can do to accelerate the revitalization of downtown is a new entertainment and sports complex," Johnson said in his State of City address in 2011.

Take a look back at his other themes, and remarks, he presented during his annual speeches.

2010 - Confronting 'brutal facts'

In his second State of the City, Johnson outlined four primary goals: Strengthen the downtown core, become a leader in the green movement, build a new entertainment/sports complex and reform city hall.

"We have to confront the brutal facts, deal with our current reality, but no matter what we are facing, we cannot lose faith that we will prevail in the end," Johnson said.

Johnson also made a call to boost volunteerism in Sacramento.

2011 - 'Doing more with less'

"I'd love to be here today with better news," Johnson said in 2011. "Saying that 'we have a better economy, we're creating more jobs, fewer business are closing,' (but) that's not it. That's not even close to the reality."

Johnson painted a grim picture of the city's economy and prospect of jobs, and was resigned to notion of "doing more with less."

"I don't want to talk about how we should just react to a crisis, I don't want to talk about how we should lower everyone's expectations. I want to talk about the history of Sacramento and what the city was founded on. Sacramento has a rich history of stepping forward."

With his cautious optimism, Johnson spoke about a greener economy in the region, highlighting some positives. He said the region had 14,000 green jobs and outlined a goal of doubling the number of jobs by 2020.

Within days, Johnson and city learned that the Maloof family, owners of the Kings, was in talks with the city of Anahiem to relocate the team.

About that arena, Johnson said: "If you want to accomplish big things, you have to bring in big-time players to Sacramento." That 2011 statement could be a key idea in this year's speech.

Johnson is expected to announced deep-pocketed investors who are both interested in buying the team and partially funding a new arena.

2012 - 'Made the impossible possible'

"We made the impossible possible," Johnson said in last year's State of the City.

Johnson celebrated NBA granting Sacramento a one-year reprieve to figure out how to develop an arena plan for the Kings. At the NBA's urging, the Maloofs pulled out of wish to move south.

"And now we are incredibly close to finalizing a plan to build and finance the most transformative economic project downtown has ever seen," Johnson said at the time.

Johnson, the NBA, the Maloofs and an arena operator would later agree to a handshake deal to build a railyard arena. But that deal collapsed at the insistence by the Maloofs that the deal was not good for them or the city.

In his 2012 speech, Johnson was sure to thank the community for its ongoing support in the Kings saga.

Johnson recalled two boys, Jack and Gil, who had donated money from their lemonade stand to build a new arena.

"These two young men represent the best of Sacramento," Johnson said in 2012.

Speaking on the region's job slump, Johnson said the city needed to diversify its economy. "In order to change this, we need to bring new industry to the region through a focus on making Sacramento the "Emerald Valley."

In invoking Seattle, Johnson said the region needed to continue to find ways to bring in green jobs. He also focused on improving education in Sacramento.

But he concluded his speech with his signature goal in mind.

"If ever there was a time to pull it off, it's right now," Johnson said in his closing remarks. "This is our moment to shape our own destiny. Sacramento, let's make the impossible possible."

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